Chapter 21 What a Coincidence, I Also Go by One Qi Immortal (Seeking Followers)

The night breeze rises from the south, the Bright Moon hangs over the high tower.

The drumbeats within and outside the Fuyu Capital City rise to the heavens, the lights bright as day.

A procession of Armored Soldiers opens the city gates, heading towards the Heavenly Immortal Temple outside the city.

This Heavenly Immortal Temple is set not far from the city gate, grand and magnificent, with an imposing aura.

From behind, someone shouts loudly: "Bring out the boy and girl children!"

Ten pairs of boys and girls dressed in white robes, elegantly seated on the float, are carried by a group of strong men towards the Heavenly Immortal Temple.

Following the float is a group of men and women, young and old, silently shuffling along.

Further behind, there are many people crying and wailing, but they are stopped by the Armored Soldiers from leaving the city.

Soon, the boys and girls are carried into the main hall of the Heavenly Immortal Temple, and offerings like pigs, sheep, liquors, fragrant flowers, and candles are arranged in front of the sacrificial table.

In front of the sacrificial table, there's a golden plaque reading "Jie Sect One Qi Immortal," and behind it is a clay statue painted with gold, looking stocky with a green face and fierce teeth, and beyond that, nothing else.

Once everything is properly arranged, everyone bows towards the plaque and says: "We respectfully invite the One Qi Immortal of Jie Sect, on this year, this month, this day, this hour, the faithful of Fuyu Country diligently follows ancient custom, offering ten boys and ten girls, pigs and sheep, liquors as counted, respectfully for the enjoyment of the Immortal.

We pray the Immortal blesses our Fuyu Country with favorable weather and peace among the people."

After the prayer, everyone offers incense and kowtows, soon retreating like a receding tide, leaving behind only the offerings including the boys and girls.

These children are only about five or six years old, still understanding nothing.

Before, amidst the bustling chaos, they didn't sense anything amiss, but now as the adults leave, abandoning them, they suddenly start crying and wailing.

A Daoist's voice arises: "What's there to cry about, so noisy! Keep crying and I'll send you all to feed the demons!"

The children are startled by this voice, and upon opening their eyes, they see a tall and handsome young man inside the temple where none stood before, and they burst into louder cries.

Twenty children crying out together, the sound truly shakes the surroundings, almost bursting one's eardrums.

The young man rolls his eyes, but eventually, he cannot bear it any longer, takes out a palm-sized Treasure Hall, and collects all twenty boys and girls inside.

It becomes instantly quiet within the Heavenly Immortal Temple.

The young man clears his ears, feeling sincerely: "As expected, quietness is preferable."

Naturally, this young man is Yu Yuan.

After taking the children, he flicks his hand, and everything on the sacrificial table including the plaque and censer rolls off, even the clay gold-painted statue falls to the ground and shatters.

He then seats himself down.

[Absorbing the Incense Fire Wish Power of Fuyu Country's citizens: Spirit -12, Will -13, Soul Power -11]

"Ptui! Whatever things the Western Sect conjures up certainly aren't anything good!"

At this moment, a whooshing sound of wind can be heard from outside the temple.

A gust of black wind rolls into the temple.

When the wind stops, it reveals a middle-aged Daoist less than five feet tall, fat as a ball, with red hair and a blue face, wearing a water-and-fire Daoist robe, his big eyes, like copper bells, sweeping around before finally stopping on Yu Yuan.

"From where does this uncultivated Immortal dare to snatch the incense fire meant for my lord?"

Yu Yuan glances at the man, "Are you talking to me?"

The middle-aged Daoist is momentarily stunned, then suppressing his anger, he says: "I'll just ask you, where have the boys and girls offered by Fuyu Country gone?"

Yu Yuan chuckles and spits out two words: "Guess."

"I..."

The middle-aged Daoist, filled with rage, suddenly extends a huge hand from behind his head, his long and sharp fingers like vines, reaching towards Yu Yuan.

"Bang!"

A dull collision sound rang out.

Suddenly, a person-shaped hole appeared in the wall of the Heavenly Immortal Temple.

The middle-aged Daoist, like a cannonball, smashed through the wall, then heavily fell to the ground, his whole person dizzy and confused, unable to make sense of what had happened.

He only remembered using the Three-Handed Magic, and then he was flung out directly.

When he struggled to stand up from the ground, he just happened to see that young man, who was impersonating his master, leisurely walking out of the Heavenly Immortal Temple.

Filled with dread, the middle-aged Daoist no longer dared to underestimate the other party, and asked stumblingly, "You you you... who in the world are you?"

"Have you really forgotten that quickly? I am the One Qi Immortal of the Jie Sect, your master!"

As the young man spoke, he stepped forward. Under the terrified gaze of the middle-aged Daoist, he moved his limbs a bit and then suddenly kicked out fiercely.

With a loud "boom," the middle-aged Daoist felt an overwhelming force strike him, and he involuntarily turned into a streak of light flying out of Chongxian Island, shooting into the depths of the dark ocean.

...

The East Sea, vast and boundless, is the leader of the Four Seas.

The sea area between the Southern Continent and the Eastern Continent is also part of the East Sea.

In this vast ocean, there is a dangerous mountain about ten thousand ren tall standing above the sea surface.

The mountain is named Skull Mountain for its resemblance to a skull.

There are two White Bone Caves on the mountain, one in the south and one in the north, just like the two eye sockets of a skull.

At this moment, in the southern White Bone Cave, the One Qi Immortal Ma Yuan sat cross-legged next to the Pill Furnace, attentively watching the fire, with a hint of impatience on his face.

He had to concoct Spiritual Medicine in the furnace once a month, something he was very skilled at by now, so he should not be this anxious.

However, tonight he had been igniting the furnace for a long time, but his disciple still had not delivered the elixir catalyst.

As the best time for concocting the Great Medicine was half an hour away, Ma Yuan cursed, about to divide his spirit and personally fetch the catalyst, when a black wind rushed in from outside the cave.

Once the black wind subsided, a short and fat middle-aged Daoist appeared, less than five feet tall and round like a ball.

"You stupid pig, you know to come back?" Ma Yuan berated, extending his hand and demanding, "Where are the hearts and livers of those boys and girls, hurry up and bring them! If you delay my concoction of this Great Medicine, I'll skin you alive!"

"Master—"

The middle-aged Daoist suddenly fell to the ground, weeping and wailing, "You must stand up for me... I don't know from where that Profound Immortal from Fuyu Country dared to impersonate your name, seizing your incense offerings, and he kicked me thousands of miles away!"

"What!"

Ma Yuan stood up abruptly, a large hand extended from behind his head and grabbed the middle-aged Daoist, speaking ferociously, "Does that mean you didn't bring back the hearts and livers of those boys and girls?"

"Master, calm your anger, I am truly no match for that Profound Immortal..."

"Bang!"

Before the middle-aged Daoist could finish his sentence, the large hand holding him slammed him hard on the ground.

Then a huge foot stomped down from mid-air, stepping on his belly, and the large hand forcefully pulled, tearing his upper body off from his waist, spilling a mess of red, green, and yellow on the ground.

"Master, have mercy—"

The middle-aged Daoist was torn in half but still not dead, continuously howling in terror and desperately struggling with his three hands.

However, Ma Yuan was unmoved, reaching into his abdominal cavity and after a moment, pulled out a heart that was still "thump thumping" vigorously.

"Though it's not comparable to the hearts and livers of boys and girls, it will barely do."

Ma Yuan muttered to himself, manipulating the lid of the furnace to rise and tossing the heart inside.

As for the middle-aged Daoist's halved body, it was discarded like trash.

"Thank you, Master, for your generosity!"

The middle-aged Daoist, having escaped death, thanked while using his hands to crawl towards his lower half, trying to reattach the two halves of his body.

At this moment, Ma Yuan turned his head to look at the middle-aged Daoist, asking, "Did you just say that Profound Immortal was impersonating me?"

"Yes, Master!"

The middle-aged Daoist eagerly cried out, "Not only did that scoundrel impersonate you, but he also seized your incense and dominated all the offerings, including the boys and girls!"

"Very good!"

Under the flickering firelight, Ma Yuan's lips curled into a slight, cruel smile.

"It seems it has been quite a while since I left this White Bone Cave. Now, even a Profound Immortal dares to provoke me!"